The Valiants had an afternoon to forget at Whaddon Road yesterday after suffering a 5-1 defeat to Cheltenham Town, leaving them still searching for their first win in 2018.

Port Vale captain, Tom Pope, wants to reassure the fans that the players will be doing their best from now until the end of the season, and won’t allow yesterdays performance to happen again.

Vale made encouraging starts to both halves, but a poor 20-minute second half spell saw them concede three goals in short space of time, with the 5th being added for Cheltenham in the dying minutes of the match.

“We’re going to do our best. I wont allow this to happen again… not on my watch. I’ll do everything I possibly can to make sure the lads are ready.

“The way football is now, certainly the young lads they’ll welt up and fold, and we can’t allow that to happen at this stage of the season. It’s about regrouping, getting the older lads round the younger ones to try and support them and encourage them.

“We know when the young lads, the ones with the energy and flare, when they’re on their game nobody can touch them. They’re down in the dumps and we need to get the best out of them, and hopefully on Tuesday we can start.” the striker said.

Tom Pope scored from the penalty spot midway through the first half to bring things level, after Luke Hannant was brought down in the box. It didn’t stay level for very long, after a defensive mix up left Mo Eisa free to tap in his second of the afternoon.

Popey was left frustrated in the manner in which they lost, and says they have to cut out giving away cheap goals, which leaves them with a mountain to climb each week.

“We started well. The opening fifteen minutes they couldn’t get out their box and we were massively on top, the first time they got in our box, or even our own half, they scored and it killed us”

“In the second half they had a 20 minute spell and we conceded 3 goals and that was something we were doing earlier on in the season, it’s criminal.

“We go in at 2-1 disappointed, because we’ve dominated the first half. We’ve given away two cheap goals and after half time we’ve come out and we’re on top again, and then we concede an awful third and the wheels came off, the heads dropped and that’s what’s disappointing really.” Pope added.

The defeat leaves Vale still sitting in 19th spot, 7 points off the relegation zone but with a favourable goal difference. Vale are unbeaten at Vale Park since November and will host Exeter City on Tuesday night.